Kevin Harvick, Inc., will field the Nationwide Series entries previously run by Richard Childress Racing beginning with next year's season-opening event at Daytona. RCR will provide chassis, engine and technical support. The team will continue to use Earnhardt-Childress Racing engines in both its Nationwide and Camping World Truck Series programs in 2011.
KHI has run full-time in Nationwide since 2005, and during the past five years there have been Sprint Cup Series stars, Truck Series champions as well as up-and-coming drivers taking their turn behind the wheel. With a combined effort, KHI's Nationwide program has scored nine wins, 12 poles, 64 top-five and 123 top-10 finishes.
"This alliance will help both of our race teams," said Kevin Harvick, co-owner of KHI. "Richard and I have discussed this opportunity for a while and we thought, at this point, both programs would really benefit from this new structure since the Nationwide new cars will be so similar to our Cup cars."
RCR will focus its development program through its Truck Series program with Austin Dillon and a second team yet to be finalized. Since its inception in 2000, RCR's Nationwide program has earned 56 victories and five championships: two overall championships (2001, 2006 with Kevin Harvick), two owners-only titles (2003 with Harvick and Johnny Sauter; 2007 with Jeff Burton and Scott Wimmer) and one driver-only title (2008 with Clint Bowyer).
"Kevin and I are excited about the partnership between RCR and KHI next year," said Richard Childress, president and CEO of RCR. "We have talked about having a joint endeavor for several years and, looking at 2011, the timing couldn't be more right. With RCR fielding at least two Truck Series teams next year, the trade-off is for us to help KHI with its Nationwide efforts. It's a positive step for both companies."
KHI said it will continue to field two full-time Truck teams, as well as its customer support programs. No drivers were announced, but KHI reportedly is talking with Elliott Sadler tabout a partial schedule.